Taking your children out on a road trip can be a great budget-friendly vacation, as flights are often the most expensive aspect of family travel so opting to use your own car as transport is far more cost effective!
However, going on a road trip will expose you and your family to a variety of different risks and dangers that could potentially put you in harm’s way, so it’s essential that you make an effort to stay safe and sound throughout your journey.
Fortunately, there are just a few key tips and tricks that you can utilise to keep your family safe on your road trip, and it couldn’t be easier to achieve ultimate peace of mind to travel without stress or anxiety. So, if you would like to find out more, then simply read on!
Check & Prep Your Car
Before you even think about hitting the road to start your trip, you must take some time to check over your car to make sure that it’s in tip top condition to fulfill your needs properly.
Finding out that you need an oil change or even worse have an engine problem when you’re out in the middle of nowhere is going to cause you extreme grief, so you must take your car to a mechanic in the weeks leading up to your trip to ensure it’s working well and is fully prepared for your intended journey.
There may be additional preparative steps that you take before heading out on your family adventure depending on your chosen destination, as you can purchase additional safety measures for cold environments like chain tyre grips that help your wheels to move across ice and snow without losing traction.
If you’re heading to a particularly busy tourist spot, you can buy a number plate that’s personalised so that you can easily find your car in the sea of other similar vehicles that are parked up next to you.
This will save you bags of time when you’re destination hopping and make sure that you will be able to better monitor your vehicle to prevent danger, too.
Make a Safety Kit
Preparing a safety kit that you can place inside your car to use in the event of an emergency should be your next focus, as an accident could strike at any moment and you need to be ready to jump into action.
Start by building a basic first aid kit that has plasters, bandages, oxygen water, wipes and painkillers, as these will all come in handy during your trip, especially with small children on board.
Next, pack a bag that contains thick coats and blankets that you can use to keep yourselves warm if ever you cannot reach shelter during your trip, as even in the summer the nights can become bitterly cold inside a car that has no heating or insulation.
Packing an array of non-perishable dried foods that you can eat without the need for cooking is also a great safety measure to take, as it’s always a good idea to have spare food for you and your family to eat in the event of an emergency.
Got Something to Add?
How do you plan a family car trip to ensure you travel safe and stay safe as you go? Share your advice with us below.
Until next time, safe travels.
Helen, Nial and Lewis
Welcome to Pikalily, an award-winning food, travel and lifestyle blog. We are Nial and Helen, a happily married couple from Northern Ireland, who share a passion for food and travel among many things. We became parents to our beautiful boy Lewis in 2017. Follow our adventures through the blog.
